The band released their second studio album on February 24, 2009 entitled Masterpiece Theatre.
It takes some real cojones to include the word 'Masterpiece' in your album title, but Josh Ramsay isn't too worried. "I suppose I could be digging myself into a hole calling the record Masterpiece Theatre," he chuckles, "but it's tongue-in-cheek. And I'm not the kind of person that people would assume as being an egomaniac. I hope not, anyway."
Given his feverish imagination and comprehensive musical gifts, Ramsay could probably get away with a little egomania. And with the release of Masterpiece Theatre, the frontman of Vancouver's Marianas Trench makes a iron-clad case for a prodigious set of talents - both his own and those of his bandmates, guitarist Matt Webb, bassist Mike Ayley, and drummer Ian Casselman.
Marianas Trench had already elevated itself above the rest of the pack with a 2006 debut, Fix Me, that showcased a knack for colouring outside the lines of factory-issue millenial punk, shrewdly-built pop, and super-adrenalized modern rock. The single and in particular the video "Shake Tramp" was enough to demonstrate these qualities, coupled with Ramsay's uninhibited urge to be the complete song-and-dance man.
But with both the industry and the fans beating down the door for a quick second album, the Trench decided to put on the brakes. "All of a sudden you have six months to do your next record," Ramsay sighs. "So I really had to just put my foot down and say, 'No, I need the time to do this.' I was not interested in putting something out for the sake of putting something out."
Two years later, Marianas Trench has re-emerged with Masterpiece Theatre. And not surprisingly, it's a work of soaring ambition and decisive technical prowess – that easily might not have happened. "It's one thing when you're Chad Kroeger and you just finished writing 'How You Remind Me'," Ramsay states. "I didn't have some mega-platinum song to back up my argument with, so I was lucky that the band and the label trusted me enough to do it."
By "it", Ramsay means he was allowed to indulge a high-concept fantasy for the band's sophomore album, which is built, for starters, around a song called "Masterpiece Theatre". Adopting Brian Wilson's notion of the 'pocket symphony' and then running with it, the three distinct versions of “Masterpiece Theatre” dotted across the record feature an almost perfect balance between the vocal theatrics of Queen and the more hymnal qualities of the Beach Boys.
By the time “Masterpiece Theatre” is reprised for a final, climactic time, every other song on the album is quoted and incorporated into an intricately constructed dramatic revue that swings from pristine pop, to propulsive riff rock, to quasi-doo wop, to robotic new wave, and finally into a wholly satisfying thematic payoff.
"You know in the climax of a musical, there's always that medley at the end, and I thought that would be cool on a rock record," explains Ramsay, "but it turned out to be a lot harder than I thought it would be. I wrote it in the studio as we recorded it, and it took about three weeks."
After a beat, he adds, "But really it took me two years because it draws from all the songs on the whole album."
Bassist Mike Ayley readily admits, "I don't think any of the three ‘Masterpiece Theatre’ songs could have gone on Fix Me had they been written at the time. ‘Masterpiece’ 2 and 3 in particular are amazing songs that really explore the potential of Josh's writing. You really have to hear them to get it. It's like trying to explain ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ to somebody who has only heard Kanye West and Katy Perry."
Ramsay agrees. "I really wanted to have a 'Good Vibrations'/'Bohemian Rhapsody’ style song on the first record,” he says, “but I don't think I was a mature enough writer to have written it yet, and I still feel like I was in over-my-head when we did this one, and I just barely made it."
Ramsay is unnecessarily modest; the whole of Masterpiece Theatre demonstrates a startling compositional maturity compared to the Marianas Trench of two years ago.
"Beside You" is a panoramic exercise in big emotions, with a dash of the Dream Academy's "Life In a Northern Town”. "Acadia" begins with a clipped, bright acoustic guitar, and blossoms into something like the Who reconsidered by U2, reimagined for the net generation. In the crunchy "All to Myself", the power ballad "Lover Dearest", and the strident "Good to You" (in which he duets with Kate Voegele), Ramsay pulls out the kind of honeyed vocals more attuned to modern RnB than white, adolescent rock.
"I always had that aspect in my voice but the first record just didn't have songs that were conducive to me singing that way," he states. "I think it's from growing up listening to a lot of Michael Jackson. With these songs, it made sense to stretch out a little more."
On "Cross My Heart" and "Celebrity Status", the band conjures up a kind of perfect pop crossover. Producer Dave 'Rave' Ogilvie was responsible for the latter track, which cops a move he used on Marilyn Manson's "Beautiful People" with three drummers (Casselman, Ramsay and Shane Wilson) playing at once - much to Ramsay's delight. "He's just worked with so many great artists which makes his well of tricks and ideas so vast," he says.
True to Ramsay's quest for "more diversity on this album" - not to mention the indulgence of his record label - Rave was just one of four prominent guest producers eventually roped into Masterpiece Theatre. Their collective resume includes Nine Inch Nails, Sum 41, Iggy Pop, Avril Lavigne, and Hedley among others.
"I feel really fortunate to have worked with all those guys," Ramsay says, "coz they all bring really unique things. Dave Genn and I have a really good working relationship with each other, and he has such a unique style with arrangement and stuff. Greig Nori was a really pleasant surprise. As far as I can tell, he wanted to work with us because he liked our video. The whole time he was just trying to get me to dance around like an idiot. And Raine Maida, man? Raine's a trip!"
Bassist Ayley also credits Maida for encouraging the band to “find a personality-identity that wasn't as evident when we started the production process," while also praising Ramsay for his production efforts. Ramsay took charge of four songs on the finished record. “Josh is really about capturing the emotion and power which isn't surprising considering all the feeling in the writing,” he says.
Oddly enough, Ramsay also wanted Disney's in-house genius Alan (Little Mermaid) Mencken to twiddle the knobs for the climactic version of "Masterpiece Theatre", but admits, "it's a pretty tall order to get an Academy Award winner to come and work on your record."
Still, the album is certainly not diminished by the few things Ramsay didn't get. And once the world gets a load of this Masterpiece, Mencken, Pharrell Williams, Phil Spector... you name it. They'll probably be lining up.
Vertigo
Marianas Trench Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You got here just in time to see everything fall apart
I'm not upset at all
But it's sad to see that everybody knows
That I've been down in here before and maybe I could want it more
I know I never tried to stop I never try
Shut your mouth and hey
I just like the abuse
Dizzied up in my never try vertigo
They're calling out for blood, guess it's just understood
Said we'd always try, as long as
I just don't do
Disappointed
And no one thought that this would be me and my everything
Is this pound of flesh enough
And I'll cut away until you say enough
I've been down in here before and maybe I could hit some more
I know I never tried to stop I never try
Shut your mouth and hey
So what's one more excuse, guess
I just like the abuse
Dizzied up in my never try vertigo
They're calling out for blood, guess it's just understood
Said we'd always try, as long as
I just don't do
Heartbeat, heartbeat
Hey
So what's one more excuse, guess
I just like the abuse
Dizzied up in my never try vertigo
They're calling out for blood, guess it's just understood
Said we'd always try, as long as
So what's a little vertigo? (Tell me what you wanna know)
So what's a little vertigo? (Tell me what you wanna know)
So what's a little vertigo? (Tell me what you wanna know)
So what's a little vertigo? (Tell me what you wanna know)
So what's a little vertigo? (Tell me what you wanna know)
The song "Vertigo" by Marianas Trench is a powerful statement about the struggles that the artist faces when dealing with his inner demons. The lyrics are filled with self-reflective thoughts, and the artist is brutally honest about his challenges dealing with addiction and self-destructive tendencies. The song begins with the artist admitting that he is not doing well, and that everything around him is falling apart. He is not upset about it, but it is sad that everybody around him knows that he has been here before.
The chorus of the song talks about the artist's addiction and how he is dizzied up in his never try Vertigo. The line "They're calling out for blood, guess it's just understood" is particularly impactful, as it illustrates the pressure the artist is under from those around him. He feels that there is no other option but to continue down this path. The artist admits that he likes the abuse and is once again stuck in his vertigo.
The song continues with the artist cutting away at himself until someone says enough. He has been here before, and he knows he can hit some more. The chorus is repeated, with the artist asking what's a little vertigo, as if it is a small price to pay for the comfort he finds in his addiction.
Overall, "Vertigo" is a powerful song that explores issues that many people struggle with. It is honest, raw, and musically engaging, making it a standout track in Marianas Trench's discography.
Line by Line Meaning
This might sting a bit
I am warning you that what I'm about to say might hurt or make you uncomfortable.
You got here just in time to see everything fall apart
You arrived just in time to witness my life completely unraveling and falling to pieces.
I'm not upset at all
I am not showing any emotion even though things have gone terribly wrong in my life.
But it's sad to see that everybody knows
It is unfortunate that everyone is aware of my mistakes and failures.
That I've been down in here before and maybe I could want it more
I have been in similar situations before and maybe I subconsciously desire to be in this position again.
I know I never tried to stop I never try
I am aware that I have never made an effort to change my behavior or stop making the same mistakes.
Shut your mouth and hey
I am commanding you to be quiet and pay attention to what I'm about to say.
So what's one more excuse, guess
I am asking rhetorically what is the harm in adding one more excuse to my list of reasons for my behavior.
I just like the abuse
I secretly enjoy the negative consequences of my actions and the way it makes me feel.
Dizzied up in my never try vertigo
I am dizzy from being stuck in a cycle of never trying to change my behavior and making the same mistakes repeatedly.
They're calling out for blood, guess it's just understood
People are angry and seeking retribution for my actions, and it is expected given the severity of my mistakes.
Said we'd always try, as long as
I made promises to try to change my behavior in the past, but they were conditional and not followed through on.
I just don't do
I simply do not have the motivation or willpower to change my behavior and break the cycle of mistakes.
Disappointed
I am expressing my feelings of dissatisfaction and failure.
And no one thought that this would be me and my everything
No one could have predicted that I would end up in this situation and that my whole life would be affected.
Is this pound of flesh enough
Am I sacrificing enough, even if it means causing harm to myself or others, to make up for my mistakes?
And I'll cut away until you say enough
I will continue to hurt myself or take drastic measures until someone intervenes and tells me to stop.
I've been down in here before and maybe I could hit some more
I have made similar mistakes before, and there is a possibility that I will continue to make them in the future.
Heartbeat, heartbeat
This line is repeated, possibly indicating a sense of urgency and emotionality in the situation.
So what's a little vertigo? (Tell me what you wanna know)
I am questioning whether the consequences of my actions and the harm I have caused to myself and others is really that bad.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam Clayton, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul David Hewson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind